Old ZZ Top

[Ritchie200]

Man, I just can not get enough of the old ZZ Top sound!  You can not beat a Les Paul and a dimed 100watt plexi!  I remember hearing some of their early stuff on local radio.  Then they opened for the Stones.  They came out in their cowboy duds and everyone just went, "What the .....!!?!?!"  Then wammo, right between the eyes at 120dB!  They almost got two call backs, which I'm sure Keef put the clamps on....  THe next time I saw them was on their World Wide Texas Tour, which I think is where this vid is from.  Absolutely love the tone, love the tune  BTW, I think Frank Beard is a VERY underrated drummer.

Jim

[CraigB]

THanks, Jim.  I'm sure people saw the cowboy attire and thought, oh no!  Little did they know.  Now, there's a band that has the tone, and you're right, Frank is the type of drummer that makes a trio have power. I love hearing/seeing them before the commercial stuff took over.  Nothing wrong with that later popular material, all of their music rocks, but I just like the older stuff way better.  Again, THANK YOU for the link

Regards,
Craig

[Geezer]

I love ZZ Top!

It's great how Frank is right there down with'em (not way up on a riser) & they can get real close & intimate to jam!
 Dusty & Billy are so close sometimes, if Dusty swung his Bass around the wrong way, he'd smack Billy right in the kisser.
The break @ 1:30 is classic!

[EL34]

Frank did have a beard!

[Bassmanster]

Huge guitar sound and obviously enjoying themselves.

[Manic]

I too dig the older ZZtop. It sounds to Me, say on Blue Jean Blues,Manic Mechanic, Hi Fi Mama and I Thank You, that He's playing a Strat. A Fool For Your Stockings almost HAS to be a Strat?
I think on Cheap Sunglasses the rhythm accents are a Strat as well.

Lot of Les Paul into a Plexi to be sure. I bet we are hearing all kinds of gear.
 
Our ears will tell as far as studio stuff goes, it seems He used a lot of different gear. Strats and some Tweed amps were no doubt a apart of his arsenal IMHO.

[EL34]

I like all Billy's stuff right from album zero right up to the latest albums
As long as the song itself is not a crappy song, I'm enjoying his playing.

The famous Eliminator album Poo poo-ing is bunk, IMO
I really liked his sounds and the production on that album.
Eliminator is still one of my all time fav albums.

Antenae had some cool tones, IMO
Every album Billy uses some new-crazy sounding stomp box of some sort to change up his sound.

I am sure he gets bored doing the same thing over and over.
Can't blame him, he is an artist and artist must make themselves happy.

[Geezer]

More huge guitar w/ some slide thrown in.............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c7d8BYJy8I&feature=related

And the classic........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN69GC2amTg&feature=related

[Ritchie200]

I too dig the older ZZtop. It sounds to Me, say on Blue Jean Blues,Manic Mechanic, Hi Fi Mama and I Thank You, that He's playing a Strat. A Fool For Your Stockings almost HAS to be a Strat?
I think on Cheap Sunglasses the rhythm accents are a Strat as well.

Lot of Les Paul into a Plexi to be sure. I bet we are hearing all kinds of gear.
 
Our ears will tell as far as studio stuff goes, it seems He used a lot of different gear. Strats and some Tweed amps were no doubt a apart of his arsenal IMHO.

Strat? What Strat?  First pic Moving Sidewalks late 60's.  Second pic early ZZ Top from 1970 after they first formed.  THird pic Billy's biggest fan, Jimi.  During this tour Jimi gave Billy a pink Strat and told him it was too pretty to burn.  Yeah, Billy used anything and everything throughout the years in the studio - I just always loved that LP into Marshall wail of their early live stuff.  The live side of Fandango - perfection!  Several of the bands I was in did that entire side (at my insistence..), the definitive bar boogie-woogie workout!

I've always been a fan of live albums, live movies (videos), and concerts.  I think it's because I've always felt you can do ANYTHING in a studio, but I know how hard it is to play in front of people and get a good sound live and put on a good show.  That's why I always had a lot of respect for bands like ZZ Top, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath (who's live wall of sound has ALWAYS killed!), Slade, Marshall Tucker, Renaissance, Foghat, ELP, Boston, Humble Pie, Journey, Trower - these guys seemed like they were always spectacular live.  I can't say that about some other "Big Name" bands I have seen.

Glad you guys like my dredging up old memories!
Jim

[EL34]

cool pics!